[KB] Causes of Action

[wessr at oregonstate.edu]

Clarke,

Commentary on these seven causes of action appears on pp. 218-34 in E.  
M. Cope, An Introduction to Aristotle's Rhetoric, London: Macmillan,  
1867. This commentary includes references to other works by Aristotle,  
so that it provides substantial material on which to draw in  
developing an interpretation of the passage.

For Aristotle, nature is an internal principle of change (1369b1), by  
contrast to the external principle of change involved in something  
like building a house (wood would not become a house by itself). Maybe  
this internal principle could be conceived as encompassing Burkean  
"thinking of the body." Not sure.

Bob


Quoting Clarke Rountree <rountrj at uah.edu>:

> Dear Burkelers:
>
> I have a question concerning Aristotelian action (about which I have no
> recollection whether Burke commented upon it). In the Rhetoric, Aristotle
> (1369) claims that all actions are due to one of seven causes: chance,
> nature, compulsion, habit, reasoning, anger, or appetite. (Surely Burke
> mentions this somewhere!) I'm trying to figure out what he means by
> "nature." Someone online suggests things like thirst are nature, but that
> could be appetite, perhaps. On the other hand, appetite seems aimed at
> seeking pleasure, which slaking thirst would do only in a minimal kind of
> way.
>
> Anyone have insight into what Aristotle means here?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Clarke
>
> --
> Dr. Clarke Rountree
> Professor of Communication Arts
> Associate Dean for Recruitment and Outreach for the College of Arts,
> Humanities, and Social Sciences
> 212D CTC
> University of Alabama in Huntsville
> Huntsville, AL  35899
> 256-824-6646
> clarke.rountree at uah.edu
>